My art career began as a child ... given crayons, pencils, scissors, paper, tape and glue and just left alone, I was in my happy place!

It also helped to have a very creative mother, Grace, who could do or create just about anything and made sure I had all the tools and materials I needed. She has two books in the 60s that I remember, "Junk to Treasure" and "How to Make Something From Nothing" ... long before the subject was popular. She rummaged through trash and sported a love for rust that was passed on to me. She was really special. Unfortunately, she passed away at only 54. I often think about all we could create together today.

In the 1970s, my craft was stained glass and that is when I soldered my first pendant which I still have today. I was creating soldered necklaces and bracelets featuring treasured family photos when the jewelry craze hit in the 1990s.

Although there is hardly a medium I have not worked in, what I love the most is assemblages/collages, combined with rusty pieces and anything else that pleases my eye. I don't limit my colors to pencils or crayons today ... I include pastels, acrylic, watercolor, inks, and more.

Living the Artful Life - Assembladge/Collage

12" x 12" on wood, dimensional

A collection of all things in my art agenda today which includes architecture and design. (I designed and built my own home ... click here to see!)

Gift for our friend who loves to decorate for every holiday. At Christmas she had a beautiful vignette in her office/guest room with 2 trees with blue lights and 2 feathered snowy owls. I thought she would really miss that the rest of the year, so I created this piece sit in it's place. You'll see the cat ... Cricket, her siamese has claimed that room as her own so I added her. She loves it!

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The Santos Doll

Assembladge/Collage

8" x 18" on wood, dimensional

My latest.

Available

Go to Shop

Online!

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Assembladge/Collage

4.5" x 48" each on wood

I had a corner that needed to be a little brighter. Just a collection of things I love. Click on the image to enlarge.

Assembladge/Collage . 12" x 24" on wood, dimensional

I so loved doing these for Jeff's sons. Jeff is Thomas Jefferson Rawls V, his son, TJ, is VI, and his grandson Thomas, is the VII. The two assemblages above are for TJ and Robert, his second son. Obviously, TJ's is a play on the number VI. Robert, did not have a designation so I made him #I. His initials are prominent, Robert Chandler Rawls. Both of these include things that are personal to them ... instruments they played, sports, wedding photos, TJ is a chef, Robert studies astrometry and is quite knowledgable on Egypt. Click on the photo to enlarge.

I really enjoy creating these and can make

them for anyone! Great gift for a guy!

Assembladge/Collage . 18" x 18" on wood, felt backed to hold or could be hung.

So I thought Thomas might need some help figuring out the VII. So ...

Line 1: His initials followed by ways to say VII, 7, seven

Line 2: 1-6 . Line 3 & 4: a bunch of 7

which will probably be his lucky number!

Line 5: 8-13 . Line 6: His birthdate.

He immediately took it and started pointing to the numbers!

Interesting note: Jeff wants to be called 5 as grandpa, and he calls Thomas 7. lol

This was so much fun to create!

Assembladge/Collage . 12" x 24" on wood, dimensional.

Gift for Ann Osborne

Ann's lucky number is 3 so this is a collage of her initials, a lot of 3s, and things that are particular to Ann. She loved it!